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If I get the double slip finished (and working) I'll bring it with me on Saturday for you to have a look at.

At two hours invested in it so far, it isn't quick but it is cheaper that the rtr alternative!

Thats really interesting.In another thread we've been discussing finer standards. I hadnt actually considered that cost could be an issue. And if you can knock out a point in a couple of hours thats about the same as a Finetrax point I think.However, I really like your points Steve. I'm certainly considering moving over to a finer standard and I was thinking of using peco points in the fiddle yard, but this has got me thinking that a hand built fiddle yard maybe the way to go.Needlesstosay, I'm impressed.

cheersKirky

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Northallerton is in the August 2018 edition of Raiway Modeller and in real life at the Normanton and Pontefract exhibition. New College, Park Lane, Pontefract. 26/27th January 2019

Thats really interesting.In another thread we've been discussing finer standards. I hadnt actually considered that cost could be an issue. And if you can knock out a point in a couple of hours thats about the same as a Finetrax point I think.However, I really like your points Steve. I'm certainly considering moving over to a finer standard and I was thinking of using peco points in the fiddle yard, but this has got me thinking that a hand built fiddle yard maybe the way to go.Needlesstosay, I'm impressed.

Actually the cost is one of the driving factors for me (being of extremely limited funds at the moment) along with the desire to get smoother running - although not going to anywhere near the lengths that Richard (Belstone) is pursuing (isn't his work fantastic!). The other factor is having something that (hopefully) will be easier to match up the Finetrax in the scenic section to. That said there is a c. 0.3mm difference in the height to sort out.

I've finished my first attempt at the double slip which is pictured with the earlier second attempt at a turnout.

It does work but could possibly benefit from some gauge widening in a couple of areas. However for my first attempt at this, I'm very pleased and will hopefully only get better with practice. I didn't used the rail filing jig either but wish I had now as the blades don't make contact as well as the turnout; I might remake these later. The tiebars are very stiff which isn't surprising as they've got four short blades attached to them!

Hattons is listing the Peco code 55 double slip at £38, mine cost considerably less but took three and a half hours to build. Given that I need several of these for the fiddle yard, it makes sense to me to build them rather than pay a lot of money!

Actually the cost is one of the driving factors for me (being of extremely limited funds at the moment) along with the desire to get smoother running - although not going to anywhere near the lengths that Richard (Belstone) is pursuing (isn't his work fantastic!). The other factor is having something that (hopefully) will be easier to match up the Finetrax in the scenic section to. That said there is a c. 0.3mm difference in the height to sort out.

I've finished my first attempt at the double slip which is pictured with the earlier second attempt at a turnout.

Steve, you are clearly not looking at this objectively. Your point work is easily good enough for the viewable side of things. You might need a couple more sleepers though!

As I said on @belstone 's thread earlier, all this handbuilding of points is giving me itchy fingers. I really want to get started on mine. Unfortunately I've only got a month to get Northallerton ready for RailexNE. Thanks for sharing your work Steve, most appreciated.cheersKirky

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Northallerton is in the August 2018 edition of Raiway Modeller and in real life at the Normanton and Pontefract exhibition. New College, Park Lane, Pontefract. 26/27th January 2019

As I said on @belstone 's thread earlier, all this handbuilding of points is giving me itchy fingers. I really want to get started on mine. Unfortunately I've only got a month to get Northallerton ready for RailexNE.

Go for it! Until five days ago I'd never tried to solder up cooper clad track, although I did have some experience having built five Finetrax point kits. Even without a roller gauge (just a ruler and some calipers in my case), it really isn't as difficult as it looks but a plan of the piece of track is essential.

Steve,A lovely project and a brilliant choice of prototype - two tunnels sufficiently close together to avoid any linear compression. It reminds me of the initial design stage of Copenhagen Fields, where we were looking for the urban equivalent! I admire your courage in going over to Finetrax and scratch-building in the fiddle yard. I had too much invested in the way of rolling stock to go down the 2mm Fine Scale route when I started re-making Totnes fifteen years ago and there was no compatible alternative available in N-gauge, other than Peco code 55. Still, with careful (very fine) ballasting, it is only the wide flange ways that give the game away.I very much look forward to seeing your progress.Best wishes,John

Thank you John, Totnes and Copenhagen Fields are two of my biggest inspirations and the types of layout I would've to emulate (albeit on a much smaller scale) with Hadley Wood - both a very high standard to aim for, I'll admit. The layout will eventually occupy the biggest footprint I can manage at 12' by 3' - as you said, the location lends itself well to a 'smaller' prototype based layout.

Much as you found, I've invested too much into my N Gauge stock to seriously consider starting again in fine scale and I'm of extremely limited means at the moment. Costs are one of the biggest reasons why I'm now experimenting with scratch building my own track. Considering the complexity of what I'm trying to achieve with the fiddle yard, the total cost to do this with Peco was eye watering! At the moment, I'm struggling to make a reliable double slip (one of many) but I think I've come up with a viable solution following some inspiration from Tomix's solution.

I can't believe that this topic has reach page five and I've not even made the baseboards yet! Is this a sign that I post too much? I'll get building soon but, as this is going to be a long term layout, who is in a rush?

I can't believe that this topic has reach page five and I've not even made the baseboards yet! Is this a sign that I post too much? I'll get building soon but, as this is going to be a long term layout, who is in a rush?

No! It is a sign of careful planning and preparation work and other Forum members' interest in this super project.

Please keep the posts coming...

John

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'Why does the Disney Castle work so well? Because it borrows from reality without ever slipping into it.'

I'm not sure that careful planning and preparation is really my area of expertise! I sometimes wonder if I should post or not so thank you for the encouragement.

I've been working on and off on the key to the fiddle yard, a scissor crossing incorporating two double slips. I will need one of these at both ends of the fiddle yard so that any train can access any road from either running line in the shortest possible space.

Up until now the problem has been the lack of spring in the four blades that should be attached to each tie bar - making it very hard to manually move the blades. As hinging the blades did not seem appealing, I needed another method to gain flexibility. I've been pondering this problem for the last week or so in between getting on with other things until a possible solution presented itself in the form of a Tomix double slip. The Tomix produce only uses the other two blades at each end, relying on the design of the center section to guide stock through the slip. With generous use of check rails, I've come up with something similar which stock seems to negotiate reliably.

As can be seen from the close up there are only two blades at each end. The blades just make contact with the check rails allowing the flanges of the outer wheel sets to be guided through the curved section (the blade forming a partial check rail when in the open position). It was still a bit of a faff to make up but not as time consuming as trying to get four blades on each tie bar to work! This is far from prototypical but as this is for the fiddle yard, I don't see this as being a problem if it works.

I've got the other double slip to make up at some point (and electrically isolating the various sections) and then I'll rig up some method of testing it under power to see how it really performs.

Just to note that I'm aware that the upper part of the existing tie bars will need trimming to allow room for the next set to be installed!